GULU CITY — Acholi leaders have listed a range of long-standing issues they want President Yoweri Museveni to address, saying that genuine peace and recovery in northern Uganda will only come when these matters are resolved once and for all.
Speaking to journalists on Monday night after the President’s rally in Amuru District, Bosco Odoch, a key NRM mobiliser in the northern region, said communities were grateful for Museveni’s visit but urged him to act on “outstanding injustices that have lingered for far too long.”
“The people of Acholi are loyal to the NRM and they appreciate what the government has done,” Odoch said. “But we are also saying clearly — there are unresolved issues that must be handled if the Acholi sub-region is to fully recover. The President has listened before, and now we want him to act.”
Odoch outlined the major concerns that were presented to the President, starting with the long-delayed cattle compensation. Many families, he said, have not yet received payment for animals lost during past conflicts. “Our people have waited for years. Verification is done, lists are ready, but the money doesn’t reach the real claimants,” Odoch told reporters. “We are asking the President to personally ensure that compensation is paid transparently.”
He also raised concerns about the government’s ongoing effort to remove Balaalo herders from parts of the north, saying the matter needs to be handled with fairness and lawfulness. “The President should guide so that no one is unfairly targeted, and local communities are not left in conflict.”
On the contentious Apaa land dispute, Odoch noted that the people want a permanent solution.
Odoch also mentioned concerns around Aswa Ranch, where residents accuse ranch management of encroachment and destruction of crops. He said the government should clarify ownership and involve locals in future developments on the land.
He called for renewed government attention to victims of historical atrocities such as the Lukodi and Namukora massacres. “The survivors are still crying for justice. These people suffered, and they deserve both recognition and compensation,” he said.
Communities bordering Murchison Falls National Park, Odoch added, continue to suffer from wildlife invasions and delayed compensation for crop and livestock losses. “The Uganda Wildlife Authority should work with the people, not against them,” he said.
Odoch also drew attention to growing frustration among former LRA returnees, many of whom face stigma and poverty despite the amnesty and reintegration programmes. “These people need livelihoods and psychosocial support. Without that, reintegration will remain only on paper,” he said.
On cross-border matters, he said residents along the Uganda–South Sudan frontier are living in fear due to recent clashes and unmarked boundaries. “We have areas where South Sudanese forces have even set up checkpoints inside our territory,” Odoch said. “We want those borders clearly demarcated and peaceful engagement between the two countries.”
Odoch also described how local youth, particularly boda boda riders, are being exploited by credit companies.
“Most of these young men get motorcycles on loan, and they pay for months, even years. But the moment they miss one or two payments, the companies come and take the motorcycle without refunding anything,” he explained.
“That is modern-day exploitation, and we want the President to regulate these credit systems so that people are protected.”
During his rally earlier in the day, President Museveni addressed some of these issues.
He reaffirmed government commitment to completing the cattle compensation process, pledged to look into the Apaa land conflict through legal channels, and promised to fast-track development projects in the north.
The President also cautioned financial institutions and loan companies against exploiting citizens, saying government would review existing credit regulations to protect borrowers.